Overview:
The 222nd anniversary of Haiti’s Flag Day was celebrated with pride in Jacmel and Fort-Liberté. While Jacmel hosted parades honoring the theme “One flag, one people, one Nation, ” Fort-Liberté organized a cultural evening, and saw students fill a stadium and streets with musical performances.
Across Haiti, the 222nd anniversary of the Haitian flag was celebrated with fanfare through patriotic, religious, cultural and artistic activities. In cities like Jacmel and Fort-Liberté, local authorities, students and residents came together around the symbol of national unity under the theme “One flag, one people, one Nation.”
In Jacmel, the day began with a solemn mass attended by civic leaders, school delegations and police officials. Wilfrid Lauture, the Southeast Department’s education director, emphasized the need to look beyond ceremony and use the day as a catalyst for deeper reflection.
Following the mass, students marched through Jacmel’s main streets in a patriotic parade filled with music, color, and community pride. The celebration continued into the evening with a cultural showcase at the city’s wharf, featuring local performers and artists highlighting Jacmel’s rich artistic heritage.
Honoring the flag is not just about parading: it is about working every day so that Haitian youth find their place, their dignity, and their voice.
Bénédite Bassant, Southeast Director of MJSAC in Jacmel
“This day should not only be a symbolic day that reminds us of the creation of the Haitian flag, but a moment of reflection, awareness, and gathering for a new direction, for a truly free and prosperous Haiti,” Lauture said with passion and emotion.
In the northeast, Fort-Liberté marked the occasion with vibrant displays of pride. Students packed a local stadium to perform choreographed routines, while parades and musical exhibitions filled the streets, drawing crowds in celebration of Haiti’s historic bicolor.
Here’s a look at how Jacmel and Fort-Liberté commemorated May 18 with pride and community celebration.
